deliberate backdrop

Movies with deliberate vibe

Overview

When a man's only son goes missing, he travels to the town where his ex-wife lives in search of answers. To play a man whose life is clouded by mystery, McAvoy will not be given a script of dialogue.

Themes

Divorce-driven parental strain, Absent parent determination, Child safety vs privacy, Police investigation pressure, Exposure of predatory networks, Family rupture under pressure

Available on

Peacock Premium
The Roku Channel
Peacock Premium Plus
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

The Summit of the Gods

2. The Summit of the Gods

Animation Adventure Mystery Globetrotting Adventure Investigation Mystery
7.5
20211h 35min

Overview

A photojournalist's obsessive quest for the truth about the first expedition to Mt. Everest leads him to search for an esteemed climber who went missing.

Themes

Legacy and memory, Mentorship and loss, Endurance under extreme conditions, Obsessive pursuit of truth, Solo climbing discipline

Available on

Netflix
Netflix Standard with Ads
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Black Box

3. Black Box

Mystery Thriller Drama Investigation Mystery Cover-Up Thriller
7.2
20212h 10min

Overview

Mathieu is a young and talented black box analyst on a mission to solve the reason behind the deadly crash of a brand new aircraft. Yet, when the case is closed by authorities, Mathieu cannot help but sense there is something wrong with the evidence. As he listens to the tracks again, he starts detecting some seriously disturbing details. Could the tape have been modified? Going against his boss' orders, Mathieu begins his own rogue investigation - an obsessional and dangerous quest for truth that will quickly threaten far more than his career...

Themes

Bureaucratic pressure, Obsessive pursuit, Data manipulation, Cover-up dynamic, Hacking as demonstration, Risk culture tension

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

The Card Counter

4. The Card Counter

Drama Thriller Crime Revenge Thriller Relationship Drama
6.2
20211h 51min

Overview

William Tell just wants to play cards. His spartan existence on the casino trail is shattered when he is approached by Cirk, a vulnerable and angry young man seeking help to execute his plan for revenge on a military colonel. Tell sees a chance at redemption through his relationship with Cirk. But keeping Cirk on the straight-and-narrow proves impossible, dragging Tell back into the darkness of his past.

Themes

Loyalty under pressure, Moral ambiguity, Revenge and violence, Gambling as escape, Military prison legacy, Haunted past trauma

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

No Man of God

5. No Man of God

Crime Drama Thriller History Serial Killer Crime
6.4
20211h 40min

Overview

The complicated relationship that formed between the FBI analyst Bill Hagmaier and serial killer Ted Bundy during Bundy's final years on death row.

Themes

True story framing, Fbi ethics under pressure, Death row scrutiny, Confession under pressure, Gender dynamics in cinema, Institutional rivalry within hierarchy

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

CODA

6. CODA

Drama Music Romance Family Drama Narrative Musical
8.0
20211h 52min

Overview

As a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults), Ruby is the only hearing person in her deaf family. When the family's fishing business is threatened, Ruby finds herself torn between pursuing her love of music and her fear of abandoning her parents.

Themes

Identity through music, Economic pressure on a fishing family, Family obligation vs personal ambition, Communication across deaf and hearing, Pursuit of art under constraint, Sign language as bridge

Available on

Apple TV
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Lamb

7. Lamb

Drama Fantasy Horror Tragic Drama Dark Fantasy
6.3
20211h 46min

Overview

An Icelandic couple live with their herd of sheep on a beautiful but remote farm. When they discover a mysterious newborn on their land, they decide to keep it and raise it as their own. This unexpected development and the prospects of a new family brings them much joy before ultimately destroying them.

Themes

Deception and coercion, Grief and parenthood, Attachment under threat, Isolation on a remote farm, Uncanny kinship boundaries, Trust and power dynamics

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Don't Breathe 2

8. Don't Breathe 2

Thriller Horror Kidnapping & Captivity Thriller Home Invasion Horror
6.0
20211h 38min

Overview

The Blind Man has been hiding out for several years in an isolated cabin and has taken in and raised a young girl orphaned from a devastating house fire. Their quiet life together is shattered when a group of criminals kidnap the girl, forcing the Blind Man to leave his safe haven to save her.

Themes

Home invasion threat, Kidnapping and coercion, Family protection under duress, Deception and manipulation, Organ transplant stakes, Moral ambiguity of care

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Hulu
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

The Green Knight

9. The Green Knight

Adventure Drama Fantasy Adventure Epic Epic Fantasy
6.6
20212h 10min

Overview

An epic fantasy adventure based on the timeless Arthurian legend, The Green Knight tells the story of Sir Gawain, King Arthur's reckless and headstrong nephew, who embarks on a daring quest to confront the eponymous Green Knight, a gigantic emerald-skinned stranger and tester of men.

Themes

Leadership under scrutiny, Quest as test, Honor under pressure, Ritual obligation and consequence, Temptation and fidelity, Mythic fate vs agency

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Val

10. Val

Documentary Biographical Documentary
7.5
20211h 49min

Overview

For over 40 years Val Kilmer, one of Hollywood’s most mercurial and/or misunderstood actors has been documenting his own life and craft through film and video. He has amassed thousands of hours of footage, from 16mm home movies made with his brothers, to time spent in iconic roles for blockbuster movies like Top Gun, The Doors, Tombstone, and Batman Forever. This raw, wildly original and unflinching documentary reveals a life lived to extremes and a heart-filled, sometimes hilarious look at what it means to be an artist and a complex man.

Themes

Home movie footage, Biography through archive footage, Family photo, Struggling actor perspective, Cancer victim experience, Amateur footage intimacy

Available on

Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video Free with Ads
Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.